Coney Island opened up in 1914, and has occupied the same store front on Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne ever since.

The restaurant celebrated its century of serving up dogs with all-day festivities at Deer Park Irish Pub, including a hot dog eating contest for those fans brave of spirit and stomach.

Jim Todoran is in his first year of co-owning the restaurant, although he’s worked there for 28 years. He says Coney Island’s strategy to weathering everything from recessions and economic comebacks – keep it simple.

“People come back and it’s constant, it doesn’t change, we try not to change, we fight change," Todoran says. "There’s some things you have to do, like taking credit cards, but everyone has welcomed it.”

In fact the restaurant just started taking plastic last year.

And what’s the secret to the perfect coney? According to Todoran, it’s all about the steamed buns, great sauce, and fresh, hand chopped onions.